This story, which is taken from the book of Kalila and Damnah, is as follows. There was in a secluded place a lake, which was fed by a running stream, and in this lake were three fishes, one very wise, the second half wise, and the third foolish. One day some fishermen passed by that lake, and having espied the fish, hastened home to fetch their nets. The fish also saw the fishermen and were sorely disquieted. The very wise fish, without a minute's delay, quitted the lake and took refuge in the running stream which communicated with it, and thus escaped the impending danger. The half wise fish delayed doing anything till the fishermen actually made their appearance with their nets. He then floated upon the surface of the water, pretending to be dead, and the fisherman took him up and threw him into the stream, and by this device he saved his life. But the foolish fish did nothing but swim wildly about, and was taken and killed by the fishermen.

The marks of the wise man, of the half wise, and of the fool. The wise man is he who possesses a torch of his own; That leader is his own director and light; He is his own protector; do ye also seek protection The second, he, namely, who is half wise, He clings to the wise man like a blind man to his guide, So as to become possessed of the wise man's sight. But the fool, who has no particle of wisdom, Has no wisdom of his own, and quits the wise man. He knows nothing of the way, great or small,

He wanders into the boundless desert, Sometimes halting and despairing, sometimes running. He has no lamp wherewith to light himself on his way, He lacks wisdom, so as to boast of being alive, And also half wisdom, so as to assume to be dead? That half wise one became as one utterly dead If you lack perfect wisdom, make yourself as dead Under the shadow of the wise, whose words give life. The fool is neither alive so as to companion with 'Isa,

Nor yet dead so as to feel the power of 'Isa's breath. His blind soul wanders in every direction, And at last makes a spring, but springs not upwards. A man captured a bird by wiles and snares; The bird said to him, "O noble sir, In your time you have eaten many oxen and sheep, And likewise sacrificed many camels; You have never become satisfied with their meat, Let me go, that I may give you three counsels,

The first of my counsels shall be given on your wrist, The second on your well-plastered roof, And the third I will give you from the top of a tree. As regards the counsel on your wrist, 'tis this. 'Believe not foolish assertions of any one!'" When he had spoken this counsel on his wrist, he flew Up to the top of the roof, entirely free. Then he said, "Do not grieve for what is past; When a thing is done, vex not yourself about it."

He continued, "Hidden inside this body of mine Is a precious pearl, ten drachms in weight. That jewel of right, belonged to you, You have lost it, as it, was not fated you should get it, That pearl whose like can nowhere be found." Thereupon the man, like a woman in her travail, The bird said to him, "Did I not counsel you, saying, 'Beware of grieving over what is past and gone?' When 'tis past and gone, why sorrow for it?

The second counsel I gave you was this, namely, 'Be not misguided enough to believe foolish assertions.' O fool, altogether I do not weigh three drachms, How can a pearl of ten drachms be within me?" The man recovered himself and said, "Well then, Tell me now your third good counsel!" The bird replied, "You have made a fine use of the others, To give counsel to a sleepy ignoramus O counselors, waste not the seed of counsel on them!"